Multipole switch



April 11, 1950 E. T. PLATZ ETAL MULTIPOLE SWITCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledOct. 9, 1944 3? INVENTORS.

7T BY 4 {WW 51m JMJ urn/11111111111111! April 11, 1950 E; T. PLATZ E\TALMULTIPOLE SWITCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 9, 1944 p 11, 1950 E. T.PLATZ EIAL 2,503,409

MULTIPOLE SWITCH Filed Oct. 9, 194-4 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 w m C as F1INVENTORS Patented Apr." 11, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlca Elwood '1.Plat: and Lawrence Mich, alsignors to Bulldog Company, Detroit, Micln, aVirginia E. Fisher, Detroit. Electric Products corporation of WestApplication October a, 1944, Serial No. 557,883 4 Claims. (or. 200-116)I This application relates to multipolar circuit controllers.

Two diflerent multipolar circuit controllers are disclosed herein andthese will now be described upon reference to the appended drawings. Inthese drawings,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one multipolar circuit controller whereintwo single pole circuit controller units are arranged side by side; theinterior parts are not shown, but the casings and exterior parts of theunits are shown;

Fig. 2 is a back view as if in the direction of the arrow 2 of Fig. 1,showing the parts in the on or closed circuit position;

Fig. 3 is an end view as if in the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view like Fig. 2, but showing the parts in the off" or opencircuit position;

Figs. 5 and 6 are illustrative views, with the casings removed, showingthe parts in the "on" and oiI" positions respectively;

Figs. 7 and 8 are additional illustrative views,"

with the casings removed, showing the parts in the on andfoflf"positions respectively;

Fig. 9 shows a tie-bar per se;

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of a second multipolar circuit controller,wherein two single polecircuit controller units are arranged back toback; the interior parts are not shown, but the casings and exteriorparts of the units are shown;

Fig. 11 is a view as if in the direction of the arrow ll of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a view as if in section on line |2-l2 of Fig. 10, but showingthe parts in the on or closed circuit position; and

Fig. 13 is a view like Fig. 12, but showing the parts in the "01? oropen" circuit position.

Fig. 14 shows a single pole unit, an outside view; i

Fig. 15 is an interior view, in "01! position;

Fig. 16 is an elevation view, in section on line l6l 6, Fig. 15, in"off" position;

Fig. 17 shows a casing, per se;

Fig. 18 shows a. handle, per se;

Fig. 19 is an elevation view in section, on line l9|9, Fig. 15;

Fig. 20 is a view like Fig. 16, in on position;

Fig. 21 is a transverse section view on line 2|-2l, Fig. 15.

In each of the two embodiments shown herein there are a plurality ofsingle pole circuit controller units 8 combined for multipolaroperation. In the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 9, the units happen to beside by side, as illustrated best in Fig. '1, whereas in the embodimentof Figs. 10 5c 2 to 13, they are arranged back to back, as illustratedin Fig. 10.

The single pole controller units of the two embodiments are identicaland the two embodiments diiler merely in that the units are side byparts which interconnect the units to provide multipolar operation.

We will first describe unit ing and particularly Figs. 14-21. Each unitis practically the same as the switch shown in a prior patent, No,2,385,727 of September 25, 1945, difiering only in that to the switch ofthe patent there are added an operating part or pin I02 and an openingI03, both of which will later be described more in detail;

Each unit comprises a cup-shaped casing Ill whose open back is closed bya plate i I. Through the casing project line and load terminals i4 andI5. In the top Of the casing in slides an exposed handle or actuator ll,biased outwardly by spring 3|, and having cams, 62 and H. Within thecasing, and secured to the line contact I4 is a stationar contact 44.adapted to be engaged by a contact 48 on the end of a movable contactor49 to the body part of which is secured, by a pivot pin 5| formed as arivet, a holding means in the form of a bimetal strip 52 forming arelatively movable part of the contactor. Pin 5| pivotally connects thecontactor to a holding plate 53 of insulation. An operating spring 56engages a lug 58 of the contactor to bias the hook end 60 of the bimetalstrip against a holding means for the contactor, namely edge 6| of theholding plate, for latching, and also to bias the contactor to the opencircuit or off position when the hook end of the bimetal strip movesfrom the holding means, the edge portion of the holding plate, as bywarping of the strip on overload, or as by being moved manually awayfrom the holding means by movement of the handle downwardly. Theoperating spring also closes the circuit by moving the contactorupwardly, after the contactor is manually moved clockwise by handle I!so that its hook end once more engages the holding means.

A cam 62 on handle I! may move hook end 60 away from the holding means6|, the contactor then being rocked in a plane normal to the cover I I,and thereafter being swung by spring 56 on pivot 5|, for circuitopening, moving at that time in a plane parallel to cover I I.

Another cam 1| on handle I! may move plate side in one case and back toback in the other, and in the construction and arrangement of the asingle pole controller" per se with particular reference to thedrawcontactor which rocks clockwise back to the position wherein itshook end 60 is once more held by the holding edge SI of plate 53, afterwhich, i. e., as soon as handle I 'I is released, spring 55 can moveboth the plate 53 and contactor 49 to circuit closing position.

A flexible connector 65 connects the bimetal strip 52 to the loadterminal I5 to complete the circuit.

As previously stated, the contactor 49 of each unit is provided with apin I02 arranged to extend through a cutout or opening I03 in the backor cover II of the unit. Parts I02 and I03 are the only parts of theunits hereof not found in the unit of Patent No. 2,385,727.

In the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive, the

seat themselves in notches I23 of the enlarged portion or head I24 ofthe tie-bar I20. When either of the pins I02 moves vertically, as onmovement of its contactor to orfrom its holding means, it will cause acorresponding movement of the tie-bar I20 and a corresponding movementof the pin I02 01' the other unit for the same purposes ,that havepreviously been described with reference to the embodiment shown inFigs. 1 to 9.

The handles II of the two switches of Figs. 10 to 13 are connected by abridging member I20, fastened by screws I21 to these two handles II, forcommon manual actuation.

Now having described the circuit breakers herein disclosed, referenceshould be had to the claims which follow.

two units I are shown as mounted side by side their two pins I02projecting through the openings I03a of the plate IN and will seatthemselves in slots I04 of a tie-bar I05, extending across the covers IIof the two units. The tie bar is guided by an appropriate guide I06 andits movement is limited by appropriate stops I06a.

Thus, movement 01' one contactor will move the tie-bar I05 to cause acorresponding movement of the other contactor, efiected in the followingmanner. Each contactor is mounted, not only to pivot on' the axis of thepin 5|, i. e., swing in a plane parallel to cover II, but also to rocktoward or away from cover II in a manner to release the end 6.0 of thebimetal strip 52 from the holding edge 6| of the holding plate 53. Thus,when the hook end 60 of one contactor is moved from its holding means6|, and subsequently begins to move, under the influence of its spring56, the free end of its pin I02 will move downwardly and this will lowerthe tie-bar, whereupon the free end of pin I02 of the adjacent contactorwill also be lowered, so as to cause the contactor of that unit to rockin a manner to free its hook end 60 from the holding edge SI of itsholding plate 53. Thereupon the spring 56 of the second unit will moveits now released contactor rapidly to open circuit or off position.

For manual actuation of the two handles I! in common, there is provideda common manual actuation. lI'hus hinged at I01 to mounting plate I 0|is a handle I08, having a plurality of roller cams I09, each arranged toengage a handle II of a unit whereby all the unit handles I! may bemoved down simultaneously by moving down the handle I08 for causing orinitiating simultaneous open or closing movement of the contactors ofthe various units.

It is noted that the tie-bar connects the contactors so that themovement of one from its holding means 6| causes similar movement of theother.

When the units are mounted back to back, as indicated in Figs. 10 to 13,the tie-bar is arranged to slide between the two units. This tie-bar,referenced I20, is mounted to slide in a T-shaped opening I2I of a plateI22, disposed between the backs of the units. The lower or enlargedportion of the opening I2I is in the form of a clear hole through whichthe pins I02 of the two units project, but from opposite directions.These pins We claim: 3

1. In a multipole automatic circuit controller arranged for opening onall poles when any one opens, several switch contactors,several-operating springs, one for each contactor, several holdingmeans, one for each contactor, and a tie-bar directly connecting thecontactors, arranged so thatmovement of one contactor from its holdingmeans automatically moves the other contactors likewise from theirholding means, directly through the tie-bar.

2. A multipole circuit controller comprising a plurality of complete andself contained, casing enclosed, assembled single pole circuitcontroller units, each having its own contactor, its own operatingspring, its own and independent contactor holding means, and its own andindependent automatic means for moving its contactor from its r holdingmeans, the multipole circuit controller having a means outside of theseveral single pole circuit controller units for mechanically anddirectly interconnecting the several contactors of the several units,constructed so that automatic movement of any one contactor from itsholding means, in response to a circuit abnormality in the polecontrolled by it, will cause a similar movement of the remainingcontactors from their holding means by mechanical transmission of thatmovement of the first contactor to'the remaining contactors, eachcontactor, as it moves from its holding means, being then moved to opencircuit position by its own operating spring.

3. In a multipole automatic circuit controller arranged for opening onall poles when any one opens, several switch contactors, severaloperating springs, one for each contactor, several holding means, onefor each contactor, and a tie-bar directly connecting the contactors,arranged so that movement of one contactor from its holding meansautomatically moves the other contactors likewise from their holdingmeans, directly through the tie-bar, the controller also having severalmanual operators, one for each contactor, and a common actuator formoving the several manual operators, simultaneously, each manualoperator having a means for moving its contactor from its holding means.

4. A multipole circuit controller comprising a plurality of complete andself contained, casing enclosed, assembled single pole circuitcontroller units, each having its own contactor, its own operatingspring, its own and independent contactor holding means, and its own andindependent automatic means for moving its contactor from its holdingmeans, the multipole circuit controller having a means outside of theseveral single pole circuit controller units for mechanically anddirectly interconnecting the several contactors oi 5 the several units,constructed so that automatic movement of any one contactor from itsholding means, in response to a circuit abnormality in the the polecontrolled by it, will cause a similar movement of the remainingcontactors from their holding means by mechanical transmission of thatmovement of the first contactor to the remaining contactors, eachcontactor, as it moves from its holding means, being then moved to opencircuit position by its own operating spring, the controller also havingseveral man ual operators, one for each contactor, and a common actuatorfor moving the several manual operators, simultaneously, each manualoperator having a means for moving its contactor from its holding means.

ELWOOD '1. PLATZ.

LAWRENCE E. FISHER.

. 6 REFERENCES CITED I The following references are of record in thefile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 970,600 Atwood Sept. 20, 19101,790,689 Wood Feb. 3, 1931 2,077,321 Harrison Apr. 13, 1937 2,099,585Von Hoorn Nov. 16, 1937 2,107,246 Jackson Feb. 1, 1938 2,182,864 FrankDec. 12, 1939 2,343,612 Frank Mar. 7, 1944 2,362,850 Platz Nov. 14, 19442,367,382 Taylor Jan. 16, 1945 2,385,727 Platz Sept. 25, 1945

